The Virgin teaching the Infant Christ to read

The humanity of Christ and his mother is stressed in this tender scene from the Child's upbringing. Such a subject was popular in the 16th century, although it usually showed the Virgin as a child learning to read rather than Christ. The two figures rest on a base of stylised clouds. This suggests a heavenly vision rather than an event from everyday life. The artist is unknown but the similarity to others culptures in Milan suggests that the artist worked in that city.